In Brief: Few Banks and Thrifts To Pay FDIC Premiums

Few banks and thrifts will pay for deposit insurance in the second half of 1999, the government said Tuesday.

Despite concerns about the year-2000 computer problem, subprime lending, and credit underwriting standards, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said the current rate schedule will be enough to keep the insurance funds above required minimums.

As a result, banks and thrifts will continue to pay from zero to 27 cents per $100 in insured deposits, depending on the institutions' riskiness. Just 562 of 10,486 FDIC-insured institutions paid any premiums for the first half of 1999.

But Fred S. Carns, associate insurance director at the FDIC, said agency staff members will soon recommend changes to the risk-based premium system that could result in some riskier institutions paying more for insurance.